


the road to victory (or ruin)

by halcyon_epochs



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Miraculous Ladybug Love Square, My First Fanfic, My First Work in This Fandom, they're 17 years old in this fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-25
Updated: 2018-01-16
Packaged: 2019-02-06 19:18:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12824292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/halcyon_epochs/pseuds/halcyon_epochs
Summary: Marinette and Adrien have fighting akumas since they were fifteen, and a lot has changed since then. Marinette finds that her platonic feelings towards Chat Noir are dissolving, cleaving a chasm full of uncertainty. At the same time, Adrien is discovering a strange but electrifying feeling coursing through him every time he sees Marinette.Meanwhile, Hawkmoth is learning of new powers that could possibly destroy everything Ladybug and Chat Noir have worked for. There is peace, but only for the time being.And now, Master Fu has a task for them that will put Marinette's feelings, along with Adrien's, to the test: revealing their identities.Will they be able to withstand everything that befalls them?





	1. no more secrets between us

**Author's Note:**

> Just to clear up confusion prior to reading: this is an AU in which Marinette discovers the book later than in canon. She's slowly falling for Chat, while Adrien is falling for Marinette.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Miraculous Ladybug. It belongs to Thomas Astruc and his wonderful team.

_..._ oOo _..._

Master Fu scrutinized Marinette thoughtfully. "Are you sure you don't know who this book belongs to?" he queried.

Marinette bit her lip, indecisive. She glanced at Tikki with an unspoken question in her eyes.

_Should I tell him?_

The kwami nodded immediately.  _You should. For Hawkmoth's sake and Adrien's._

Marinette turned back to the aged Miraculous holder. "Actually, I do," she confessed. "I saw Adrien Agreste, the handsome, kind, smart, selfless model who's  _perfect_ —"

Tikki threw her a warning look. Marinette hastily backtracked, not noticing the obvious glint of amusement in Master Fu's eyes.

 "—anyway, I saw him looking through it and Tikki was really interested in the contents in it and I stole—well, rather  _borrowed_ it from him for her."

Marinette deliberately omitted thefiasco that occurred while attempting to retrieve the book; that didn't concern them at the moment. Plus, it was embarrassing and she'd had more than her fair share of mortification.  **(A/N: This is _not_ the Volpina incident; I'll elaborate in due time)**

"Interesting," Master Fu mused. "You don't think that this Adrien is Hawkmoth, do you?"

Marinette did a double take and emitted a forced laugh of disbelief. "A-Adrien? As H-Hawkmoth? No way. Zero chance."

"You seem rather...adamant," he pressed. 

"Of course! Adrien as Hawkmoth? Unfathomable. Ludicrous."

Of course, the Miraculous holder knew perfectly well that the boy was  _not_ Hawkmoth, but he had merely wanted to delve into her feelings for this boy for a reason. And if her defensiveness said anything, she very much admired the boy and denied any accusations made against him.

"All right," he said noncommittally. "We have determined that it is not Adrien Agreste. Who else could've had possession of this book? Perhaps anyone close to him?"

"Maybe. I mean, he has a father, but his mother disappeared a long time ago," Marinette thought aloud. 

"What is his father like?"

"I've never interacted with him personally, save for a few occasions, but his life was endangered by akumas. But from what I've gathered from Adrien, he's cold, distant, reserved—he's not the chatty type."

"Hmm," murmured Master Fu. "This is useful information...what does his father do?"

Marinette was surprised. "You really don't know?" When Master Fu shook his head, she blushed. "I'm sorry, sir, I didn't mean to be rude. He's Gabriel Agreste, a famous fashion emperor. Adrien models for him; you must've seen advertisements and billboards around Paris."

Master Fu inhaled and exhaled, contemplating this influx of information.

"Thank you, Miss Dupain-Cheng. I think I have a strong suspicion of who Hawkmoth is."

Marinette's azure eyes widened. "Really, sir? Who is it?"

Master Fu shook his head. "I cannot tell only you. Chat Noir must also be present. This impacts him profoundly."

She didn't recognize the intentionally disguised meaning of his words. 

"But sir," she protested, but Master Fu silenced her with a raised hand.

"I want you and Chat Noir to come here one week from now, same time, same location," he said gravely. "I need to talk to both of you—detransformed."

Marinette gulped. "De-Detransformed?"

Master Fu correctly interpreted the apprehension in her voice. "You mean you do not know each other's identities yet?"

"I—well, we figured it wasn't the right time and there was no need to."

"It is imperative that you reveal yourself to him and vice versa," he replied solemnly. "It is a uphill battle from now on—from the book, I deciphered the language within it and discovered that not only do you and Chat Noir have extra abilities, but Hawkmoth does too, which makes him more of a threat to us—rather, you and Chat Noir."

"But there are other Miraculouses, right?" asked Marinette. "That gives us more strength on our side."

"Yes, but as we know, the butterfly is being abused and the peacock is still missing—which leaves us with the ladybug, cat, turtle, bee, and fox Miraculouses. I currently hold the turtle—" he indicated Wayzz, who was hovering over his shoulder,  "—you hold the ladybug, and Chat Noir has the cat."

Marinette nodded impatiently; she knew all of this already.

"So, part of the next meeting will be devoted to establishing exactly who will be receiving those Miraculouses," he said. 

This piqued Marinette's interest. "How will that happen?"

"Come next time," he replied simply, which left Marinette scratching her head as her kwami slipped into her handmade purse.

Marinette walked to door, then hesitated. "Master Fu?" she asked. "Why...why exactly do we have to reveal ourselves?"

"As I said, Hawkmoth has abilities unbeknownst to him that could potentially make him more powerful. You need to be able to contact with your partner in case one of you cannot be there when there is an akuma. In addition, it will help strengthen your trust in each other, and therefore, your bond."

Marinette was still uncertain, but she nodded carefully. "Okay, thank you."

...oOo...

All week, Marinette's mind was weighed down by the thought of the next meeting, or rather, what attire she would be clad in. Chat Noir would finally get to see who she was under the mask—and Marinette was more insecure than nervous.

What if Chat didn't like her? Marinette and Ladybug were two completely different personas despite being just one person. Marinette was shy, clumsy, and overthought things, while Ladybug was confident, agile, and surer. And another concern: who would Chat be? Was he a stranger she had never met before? Or would she recognize him? 

These thoughts plagued Marinette and consequentially affected her attention span in school—she wasn't even thinking about Adrien anymore. When he greeted her one morning, she had merely flashed a weak smile at him. No stammering whatsoever. Naturally, Alya was concerned for her friend, who seemed mundane and withdrawn as opposed to her usual cheerful, talkative self.  

"Girl, are you okay?" she asked.

Marinette surfaced from her reverie for only a moment to answer, "Yes," and then proceeded to sink back into silence.

The only humorous occurrence was when Chloe, seeking to pick a fight with Marinette, commented snidely on her outfit and then remarked on her tacky hairstyle. Marinette didn't respond for few seconds, making Chloe assume she'd scored a decisive victory. 

Then Marinette pulled the ultimate comeback: "Huh? When did you get here, Chloe?" which garnered a laugh from everyone bar Chloe, who looked gobsmacked. She huffed and stomped away, steam literally gushing out of her ears. 

"Good one, girl!" Alya congratulated her pigtailed friend. Marinette cracked a tentative grin.

That night, she informed Chat of the impending meeting. Chat's reply was nothing short of ebullient when he told her he would be there.

The highly-anticipated day dawned bright and clear. Marinette woke to the sun streaming through her balcony's trapdoor. Her mind was refreshed and energized. However, the hours before the meeting were strained. Marinette was in a sort of haze, tripping  _up_ the stairs and absently pricking her finger on a knitting needle. 

Her parents were dealing with the Sunday bakery rush, so Marinette was able to slip out with an excuse of "going to Alya's for a project." She felt guilty for leaving her parents in such a frenzied state, and one call to Alya would prove that she was lying. However, she had much more important matters on her mind.

Marinette stepped inside Master Fu's antique little massage shop with minutes to spare. Chat had yet to show, so she made herself comfortable on a plush pillow and waited on tenterhooks for her partner to arrive.

"You should transform before he comes," said Master Fu abruptly. He was seated in front of Marinette on a bamboo mat. Marinette had offered to swap seats if he was uncomfortable, but he had politely declined.

"I thought we were supposed to meet detransformed?"

"Yes," the old man said calmly, "but I believe Chat Noir would rather reveal himself the traditional way."

So Marinette transformed into Ladybug and sat there fidgeting restlessly with her yoyo.

There was a knock on the door and Marinette's stomach somersaulted. She had never been so agitated in her life. Master Fu stiffly stood and answered the door.

Chat, jaunty and wearing an affable smile, strode in without any of the insecurity she was experiencing. Her heart clenched at his tousled appearance and she longed for some of the confidence he possessed and she was severely lacking in.

"So, you both know why you are here," said Master Fu without preamble. Marinette and Chat nodded simultaneously.

"Identity reveal and deciding the next Miraculous holders," Chat recited.

"Correct," affirmed Master Fu. "It is important to have allies—especially in a war like this."

Marinette gulped. She had merely thought of this as a fight for power over their Miraculouses, but she had never realized that that constituted as a  _war._ Beside her, she felt Chat shift closer to her in a protective manner. She made no move to recoil and felt her body warm. Only one other person had this effect on her but he was still blissfully oblivious to her feelings for him. 

Her heart was confused. She was sure about her feelings for Adrien, but little by little, without her knowing it, a certain cat had started worming his way into her heart. 

Now, she was hoping that an identity reveal would help her decide whom to choose.

Master Fu was speaking again and Marinette tuned back in.

"...necessary to know each other's identities so there will be a stronger tie between you."

Chat nodded and Marinette copied him, delayed by her traitorous eyes watching his jaw ripple as he swallowed. Damn, that boy was fit.

If Master Fu saw her, he didn't say anything. "Are you ready?"

_Wait. They were doing this now?  Right away?_

She turned her head and locked her eyes with Chat's brilliant green ones, which were warm but otherwise unreadable, and suddenly, she was overwhelmed by a sense of determination.

"We are," she said, her mouth dry as she spoke for them both.

Master Fu retreated a few steps into the shadows. "Whenever you're ready."

Ladybug stood and Chat rose with her. She took a few steps back to leave some distance between herself and her partner. 

(And also because his proximity was making her flustered.)

"Hi," she said stupidly, because nothing else came to mind.

Chat released a low chuckle and chills zipped down her spine. Goddammit, he had no clue what he did to her and her hormones. Or maybe the imbecile  _did_ , and he was merely taunting her. And the worst part? It was working. Oh God, how her fingers itched to explore that tantalizing body of his. 

"Hi," he replied in that utterly manly, sexy voice of his.

She swallowed. 

_I can do this._

Marinette repeated the mantra in her head. 

Chat's eyes traveled up and down her body unabashedly. "Do you want to go first, or should I?"

Oh, someone please save her from this awkwardness.

"Neither," she said and watched as Chat's eyebrows lifted. "We're a team, aren't we? We'll do it together."

Warmth gushed through her like a flood at his beaming smile. "If you say so, my lady."

Some of her former uncertainty ebbed away, but the butterflies remained.

_Just do it! Just say three words. That's all._

Tikki made it sound impossibly easy. All she had to say was  _Tikki, spots off_  and Chat would know who she was. No more secrets between them and they would finally be able to interact as civilians. But once Chat saw her, would his opinion of her be altered? Would he able to accept her as Marinette?

_Would he still retain his affections for her?_

She was doing it again. Overthinking things had become an unsavory habit of hers.

Marinette met Chat square in the eyes. The intensity of the green orbs was unnerving, so she squeezed her eyes shut and breathed, "Ready?"

"Always."

"On the count of three."

She inhaled deeply. She could do this. 

"Three."

She was Ladybug.

"Two."

And Ladybug could conquer anything.

"One."

But not without Chat Noir at her side.

_"Tikki, spots off!"_

_"Plagg, claws in!"_

Synchronously, pink and green flashed throughout the room, merging together in a storm of light. Once the light died, however, Marinette's face turned ashen as she took in the sight of her kitty without his mask. Nothing on Earth had prepared her for this.

_"Adrien?!"_

_"Marinette?!"_


	2. we can find a way to break through

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which there is a lot of blushing and revelations.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> holy cow, 31 kudos for one chapter?! THANK YOU SO MUCH!  
> Side note: I will be attempting to update on the weekends, but no guarantees. Also, I may be going through this chapter and re-editing- I just wanted to update.

The moment the pink flash receded, Adrien's speaking and thinking abilities lost all functionality. In other words, his mind short-circuited.

Because there was  _no way_ that Marinette Dupain-Cheng was Ladybug.

And yet there she was, in a fashionable pink off-the-shoulder top and whitewash jeans. Her blueish hair was tied up in a ponytail and her eyes were as blue as ever, though slightly glazed over with astonishment.

Marinette had always been pretty, but Adrien hadn't thought more of it; after all, he was in love with Ladybug and worshiped the ground she walked on. Marinette was his classmate, friend, that's all there was to it. That was the extent of their relationship.

But now, as she stood in front of him, freckles dusted across her creamy skin and slender fingers gripping her purse tautly, he felt his breath catch. 

She was his lady and his Princess, and he was struck by the revelation of how  _gorgeous_ she was, with or without the mask.

"My lady?" he croaked disbelievingly.

"Yes?" she said, her voice wavering.

"You're-You're Marinette?"

She chuckled faintly. "In the flesh, unless I have an identical twin I don't know about?"

Her jest shattered the tension and the pair laughed awkwardly.

Marinette's laughter subsided first. "So," she said demurely, dragging her foot along the hardwood floor, "are you disappointed?"

"Huh?" Adrien blinked stupidly.

"Are you disappointed that I'm Ladybug?" she clarified. 

Disappointed? Why on Earth would he be disappointed? Two phenomenal women in his life, Marinette and Ladybug, were the same person, but he'd been so  _blind_. The disclosure had left him a little numb, but how did she ever get the notion that he was  _disappointed?_

He crossed the room to Marinette's side in a few long strides. He cupped her face in his hands and gazed at her enchanting eyes, his own eyes blazing and firmly holding her own with intensity.

"Mari," he whispered, relishing the feeling of her smooth skin against his hands, "why would I ever be disappointed? You and Ladybug are both extraordinary people. And now I found out that you are two incredible women melded into one beautiful, clever, tenderhearted woman who can conquer anything. That makes me even  _more_ impressed. If anything,  _you_ should be disappointed of  _me_."

He suddenly released her face, his hands tingling, and looked sheepishly at the ground. He missed the bewilderment that flitted through her eyes, along with the red blush that painted her cheeks. 

"I don't deserve to be your partner," he stated blandly. 

His cheeks were red-hot with shame, but abruptly, a weightless hand tilted his head up and his eyes met ocean blue once more.

"Kitty," Marinette said, fondness coloring her voice, "why would I be disappointed of you? You're two of my closest friends combined into one person."

"But you looked dissatisfied, " he replied dejectedly. "You didn't look happy at all when you saw who I was."

"Oh, _Chaton_ ," she laughed. "Don't worry, I am most definitely  _not_ disappointed. I'm-I'm just a little surprised, that's all."

"Really?"

"Really." Her tone was carefully guarded, which left Adrien still slightly disconcerted. What was she masking from him?

They descended into another delicate silence, one which Master Fu dispelled by stepping out of the shadows.

"I'm sorry to disrupt this," interrupted the Miraculous holder benignly, "but I'm afraid we have a lot more to discuss and limited time to do it, so if you could both please take a seat."

His authoritative tone left no room for argument, even though there wasn't one brewing. The flustered teens retook their respective places on the cushions, but noticeably closer to each other than before. This did not go amiss by any of the three, but no one remarked on it.

"Now," said Master Fu in an uncharacteristic business-like manner, "I did not call you here for merely an identity reveal; I wanted to confer with you about other matters, such as future Miraculous holders."

Adrien's head moved of its own accord, nodding mechanically. 

"As you might be aware of already, there are four Miraculouses currently in use: mine, both of yours, and Hawkmoth's. However, there are many other Miraculouses that exist, but I was tasked with guarding only seven of them."

Master Fu lowered his head somberly; his mind was burdened with knowledge that was far beyond his years.

"Unfortunately, I lost two of them, the peacock and the butterfly," he said softly, "and I did not hear nor see any sign of their usage until a couple of years ago, the same time you both originally obtained your Miraculouses."

Adrien chanced a glance at Marinette. She was looking apprehensive, her bottom lip drawn between her teeth. This was a telltale indicator when she had a question she was dying to ask, but was afraid of what answer it might entail. Two years of observing her body language as Chat Noir had educated him to the point where he could read her mind on most occasions. This led to effortless communication and improved coordination.

He nudged her encouragingly. The moment his elbow touched her side, sparks raced up his arm, despite the thick insulating fabric of her top acting as a barrier. 

Marinette immediately jumped; presumably she had felt the sparks too. Adrien was certain his face resembled a tomato and looking at Marinette, hers did too.

"Marinette, Adrien, you're looking awfully red; is the room too hot?"

Adrien, if possible, felt the heat in his cheeks quadruple. The old man was  _mocking_ them now.

"Are there kwamis linked with the other Miraculouses?" Marinette asked, trying to steer away from the subject of their unexplained flushed faces.

Ladybug's kwami intervened for the first time since the detransformation. "Yes, there are, and if Master Fu permits, we can meet them right now."

Master Fu already had his back turned to them and was twiddling with the antique gramophone on the table behind him. Adrien attempted to peer futilely around his hunched body.

Then, a lazy, drawling voice reached his ears and Adrien groaned.

"Does no one remember me?" griped Plagg. "Does anyone have any Camembert?"

"You never spoke up until now," snapped Adrien crossly, at wit's end with his apathetic kwami. "And as you very well know, I ran out yesterday and we don't have any stocked up in the fridge, so your gluttonous appetite is going to have to wait until Nathalie or the butler makes a trip to the supermarket."

"Fine," grumbled the kwami, put out by his Chosen's short temper, "take it out on the blameless kwami. I see how it is."

"You know, Adrien, that was rather harsh," interjected Marinette. "He's just hungry."

Plagg's Cheshire grin was smug and Adrien shot him a dirty look.

"I'm sorry," he apologized insincerely. "If it makes you content, I'll give you a cheese feast at home."

That seemed to please both Marinette and Plagg and the former turned to face Master Fu, who had just returned with a large jewelry container in his hands. Adrien cast a withering glare at the cat kwami, who whispered, "Pushover." Adrien rolled his eyes before mimicking Marinette, eyeing the box curiously.

"What's in there?" he asked.

Plagg snickered derisively. "What do you think, kid? Use your head."

"Plagg," chastised Tikki reproachfully, "hold your tongue."

Plagg scowled and floated to a corner to sulk and Adrien stifled a chuckle.

"That is a reasonable question," said Master Fu placidly. "This box contains the bee and fox Miraculouses."

He lifted the lid and Marinette gasped.

There was a smaller box inside the receptacle. Small dents were laid out in a circle, each dent shaped specifically to hold its correlating Miraculous. In the center was a yin and yang symbol, with dents shaped like a pair of earrings and a ring. Adrien subconsciously touched the silver ring on his finger, and out of the corner of his eye saw Marinette brush back her hair, her earrings glinting in the light.

In the top right corner, there was a yellow comb, meant to be inserted into its holder's hair. There was an aperture between the long teeth of the comb where a metal yellow and black-striped bee was adhered, a stinger protruding from its rear and wings spanning the length of the comb. This was undeniably the bee Miraculous.

On the bee comb's left was a fox pendant with a likeness to Lila's necklace, but distinctly different in shape. Unlike the bee comb, it was unembellished, but it still radiated the same compelling aura.

The remaining spots were vacant; their respective Miraculouses were either long lost or currently in use.

Master Fu delicately lifted the bee comb and offered it to Marinette.

Puzzled, Marinette accepted it and stared cluelessly at the accessory in her hand. "Um, what am I supposed to do with this?"

"Slide it into your hair," the aging Miraculous holder instructed. 

Marinette obliged, tucking it in her ponytail and seconds later, a blur of gold and ebony zoomed out of it. It halted at Master Fu's shoulder and stretched its tiny wings.

"Ah, it's been so long since I've been released," the kwami sighed, not sounding the least bit disoriented. Then, its bright cerulean eyes zeroed in on Marinette, who waved nervously.

"You must be my new holder," said the bee-striped kwami, appraising the bluenette. 

"Actually, I'm not," corrected Marinette. "I already have a Miraculous."

The bee kwami's eyes darted fleetingly to her earrings. "Ah, yes, you're Tikki's Chosen." Her eyes moved to the ring on Adrien's finger and then up to meet his eyes. "And you must be Plagg's Chosen."

"I'm starting to have second thoughts about that decision," groused said kwami.

Tikki bopped him reprovingly, silencing him. Adrien ignored his snippy kwami in favor of asking a question.

"What's your name?"

"Pollen. And you are?"

"Adrien." A soft cough. "And that's Marinette," he tacked on, touching her shoulder and gazing fondly at her,

Pollen nodded cordially to each of them and rounded on Master Fu. "Why did you wake me up, if you're not going to assign me a holder?" she demanded.

"I'm getting there," said Master Fu, the barest hint of annoyance creeping into his voice. "I still have to reawaken Trixx."

"All right, speed it up, then," she snapped peevishly.

Master Fu sighed. "I apologize for Pollen," he said to the teens with an edge in his tone. "Pollen can be temperamental."

"Don't worry, I have to put up with that kind of temper everyday," said Adrien sympathetically.

That made all three humans in the room crack a brief smile and Master Fu reached into the box, removed the pendant, and fastened it around his neck. 

An auburn and white blur shot out of the necklace and hovered above them, rubbing its eyes drowsily.

"Wha-" Trixx opened her eyes and blinked blearily at the room; she was utterly befuddled. Her violet eyes swept around, nonplussed, finally locking on Master Fu.

"Master Fu!" she exclaimed ebulliently.

Master Fu smiled; this time it was warmer than the one he'd directed at Pollen. It seemed he was more fond of Trixx and Adrien could see why; Trixx seemed more amiable and carefree, as opposed to Pollen, who shared Plagg's petulance.

"Hello, Trixx," said Master Fu. 

Trixx finally noticed Adrien's and Marinette's presence in the room; she swiveled around, beaming at them. Adrien grinned shyly.

"I'm Trixx, nice to meet you," she said genuinely.

"I'm Adrien," said the model amicably, deliberately and casually slinging an arm around Marinette's shoulders, prompting a squeak from her.

"M-Marinette," she said shakily, blood rushing to her face.

Adrien's grin broadened and he rubbed her shoulder affectionately. She looked so  _adorable._

"Ah," said Trixx knowingly, her eyes shifting to the blushing beauty. "You're really pretty, Marinette. Are you Tikki's Chosen?"

"T-Thank y-you," she stammered. "And yes."

"And you are Plagg's Chosen?"

"Yep," he confirmed, "unfortunately."

"That makes sense," she said, her eyes gleaming with speculation. "No wonder you were chosen; you two are obviously soulmates even without the Miraculouses."

_"Trixx!"_  cried Tikki as Adrien's breath caught, his face turning crimson to match Ladybug's suit. "They weren't supposed to know that yet!"

"Oops," she giggled. "S'pose the  _cat's_  out of the bag now."

Plagg guffawed as Adrien burst into laughter. "I think Master Fu paired me with the wrong kwami," he chuckled, trying to ward off some of the tension that seemed to have gripped him.

Meanwhile, Marinette's face drained of all color. "You mean-"

"Yeah, yeah, the ladybug and the cat are fated to be together, yadda yadda," Trixx informed them, rolling her eyes. "I'm honestly surprised Tikki nor Plagg have told you yet."

"Tikki's doing," muttered Plagg, pointing his paw at the spotted kwami.

This time around, instead of berating Plagg, Tikki looked guilty. "I figured it wasn't the right time," she confessed. "They've already got enough on their plates without worrying themselves over love."

" _Worrying over love?"_ Plagg snorted incredulously. "For heaven's sake, Tikki, they're already in love with each other. They aren't exactly subtle about it."

Marinette's eyes enlarged and Adrien's face whitened. 

"Okay, remind me next time not to tell you anything," growled Tikki, lunging towards Plagg. The kwami realized his mistake and Tikki chased after him, black and red blurs zipping around the room.

Adrien locked eyes with Marinette, the shocked feeling between them mutual. His mind short-circuited for the second time that day.

" _In love?!"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I altered the appearances of Pollen and the fox miraculous deliberately, because it's easier to describe.  
> See you next chapter. *waves*  
> Bug out!


	3. together we shape the future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the Fox Miraculous is passed on, and Ladybug has a startling revelation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG, WHO ELSE DIED DURING GLACIATOR?  
> (I swear, this show has shaved off five years of my lifespan).  
> Also, I'm very, very sorry. I promised an update every weekend, and it's been like, what, 1.5 months?

"Well, that was  _some_ meeting," said Marinette wearily, cross-legged on her bed and stroking her kwami.

 _Some_ was an understatement. Her mind was saturated with a colossal amount of information, both good and bad, and she had an enormous decision to make. One that could potentially be disastrous or beneficial. Her city, her partner, and Master Fu were all relying on her to make the right selection.

And predictably, Marinette was feeling anxious. Her fingers were fiddling with the necklace and she wondered briefly how Adrien was faring. Hopefully, he wasn't on edge like she was.

* * *

_Flashback_

"In love?!" _Adrien exclaimed, his face undergoing a swift transformation from red to white._

 _Marinette willed the ground to turn into quicksand, because she was_ more _than ready for this day to be over. S_ _he pinched herself once, twice to make sure she wasn't dreaming. Nope, she wasn't, but now her arm was stinging unpleasantly._

_Adrien's handsome face was uncertain and Marinette's heart plummeted as her mind went into full-blown panic mode. Oh no, he was going to reject her, wasn't he?  He was upset that she loved him, and now he was going to spurn her—_

_And then he surprised her—again. His captivating green eyes probed hers with utmost tenderness. In that one moment, her emotions were contradictory: hopeful, yet fearful of the outcome._

_"Is it true?" he asked, his voice so soft that she could've mistaken it for a breath of wind._

_She nodded, slowly but affirmatively, mentally bracing herself. His eyes were unreadable, which heightened her mounting anticipation. Even the kwamis were silent, waiting on his answer (except for Plagg, who was rolling his eyes and mumbling about "lovesick teenagers" , but no one paid him any mind)._

_Then Adrien's face broke into a dazzling smile. "That's incredible!" he whooped euphorically, leaping to his feet with gusto._

_Marinette did a double take as_   _a_ _multitude of emotions surged through her. Beatification, accompanied by relief and fondness swept over her body, which was undoubtedly infected by his jovial attitude._

_"Fantastic!" he kept saying repeatedly, his eyes glowing with an abundance of exultation. "Amazing!"_

_As much as Marinette was thrilled for both of them, she had to remember where they were and what circumstances had brought them here._

_"Adrien," she said soothingly. "Adrien,_ minou,  _I know you're ecstatic, and so am I, but we don't have a lot of time left._ _My parents are expecting me home soon, so you can celebrate later."_

_Her words did the trick: he sobered up and nodded. "You're right, Father wants me home before sunset. And we still have to decide the next Miraculous holders, right?"_

_"Correct," interjected Master Fu. The two teens jumped; they had forgotten he was present._

_Flustered, Marinette re-seated herself on her cushion and gazed at Master Fu, feeling uncomfortably warm._

_"It will be the kwamis who ultimately influence your decision," he said, folding his hands in his lap. "They have their own personal preferences as to who they would like to be held by." He gestured to the kwamis floating behind him._

_Trixx took the initiative, and locking eyes imploringly with Marinette, said, "I'd like someone who_ isn't  _a killjoy, someone who is willing to take risks, spunky, and resourceful. Someone who is dynamic and unafraid of breaking the rules, who will not crumble under pressure or condemnation."_

 _Marinette nodded thoughtfully, her mind contemplating Trixx's requirements._ _"I think I know just the person," she said, a smile curving her lips._

* * *

 "Do you think I made the right choice, Tikki?"

Tikki smiled, ages of wisdom glowing in her large blue eyes. "What do you think?"

Marinette's eyes darted fleetingly to the necklace. "I think so."

"Then that's all the assurance you need."

* * *

The next morning, Marinette could feel Adrien's eyes transfixed on her as she walked into the classroom with Alya, for once punctual. She did not blush upon making eye contact with him, but smiled genially at him and said, "Good morning, Adrien."

Adrien's face flushed pleasantly and he returned her smile shyly, "G-Good morning, Marinette."

Her smile broadened and she made it to her seat without stumbling, aware that Alya was staring at her like she'd grown an extra head.

"Girl, what happened to you? You don't have a fever, do you?" Her friend made a show of placing a hand on Marinette's forehead

Marinette chuckled, brushing away her hand. "I'm fine, don't worry."

"Are you sure? Because you just interacted with Adrien without tripping over anything!" Alya hissed. Abruptly, a wicked grin spread across her face, a telltale sign she was in her investigative mode, an indication that did not bode well for Marinette. "Wait, you guys didn't do  _it,_ did you?"

Marinette choked. "Wha- _Alya!"_ she squeaked, her face reddening drastically. "That's  _disgusting,_ Alya, get your mind out of the gutter!"

Her friend's impish smile grew. "What, like you've never imagined it?"

This bawdy remark only served to make Marinette's face an impossible shade of scarlet, and blue-haired girl rounded on her best friend, thinking all the while,  _She's perfect for Trixx._

Thankfully, Mme Bustier entered the room and Marinette was spared from further mortification, due to the fact Alya was forced to face the front of the room, but with a victorious smirk.

Marinette, meanwhile, gazed at the back of Adrien's blonde head. She couldn't deny the explicit thoughts that had surfaced when Alya had questioned her, nor could she quash the gratifying sensation it sent spiraling through her body. It caused shivers to coast up her spine and her nerves to tingle.

It felt  _wonderful._

* * *

During lunch, Marinette figured, was the prime time to slip Alya the Miraculous. The girl was always distracted by gushing effusively over her most recent interview with Ladybug, and her bag was conveniently situated in the small crevice between her and Marinette, and always left unattended.

So when Marinette slid into her seat at her usual lunch table, a mixture of agitation and anticipation was brewing in her stomach. 

_This was it. There was no going back._

Her anxiety was only augmented when Adrien, in lieu of sitting between Nino and Ivan, occupied the space next to her. Marinette glanced at Mylene, who routinely sat there, and saw her conversing contentedly with Ivan, inhabiting Adrien's former seat.

She turned back to Adrien with a weak smile. "This is it," she reiterated her thoughts in a hushed voice.

Adrien gave her an encouraging smile, one that spoke,  _I believe in you._ "Don't stress about it," he murmured.

She nodded mutely and plastered a smile on her face that would fool everyone, including Alya. It was the smile she provided the cameras when she was Ladybug, and it was completely and utterly superficial. It was similar to Adrien's model smile; it didn't betray her inner emotions.

When Alya's back was to her, she furtively ducked under the table, unzipped Alya's bag, and deposited the small box amidst numerous textbooks. The operation was quick, smooth, and Marinette emerged without drawing unwanted attention to herself. She gave Adrien a cursory thumbs-up and hastily struck up a conversation with him, as to look normal.

The weight in her stomach lifted and she finally felt reassurance. The deed was done and all she had to do was wait.

* * *

Alya opened the door to her home, silence greeting her ears. She smiled; the twins had ballet practice and her parents were at work until the evening, which meant she had the house to herself for a few hours.

She stopped by the kitchen to grab a snack and ascended the stairs to her room, dropping her bag by the door and collapsing on her bed. She was wiped, but it was accompanied by a feeling of triumph.

Earlier, there had been an akuma rampaging down the street towards their school, which meant Ladybug and Chat Noir had arrived mere minutes later. She had captured some excellent footage of the ensuing battle. Something, however, seemed different about the duo, piquing her intrigue. It was no longer Chat Noir flirting and Ladybug rebuffing him; instead there had been lingering touches, whether it was Chat's hand on Ladybug's shoulder or her hand brushing slightly against his whenever they stood side-by-side. Whatever had occurred, it had made them more comfortable with each other, and furthermore, it had created copious amounts of unresolved electricity between them.

And this had not escaped Alya's eagle eyes, and she had started speculating eagerly about what this could mean. Could Ladynoir exist? Could there actually be some substance to a term she had coined a long time ago?

Alya rose from her bed after a few minutes of rest and rifled through her bag, intent on locating her homework, when her hand encountered a peculiar box wedged between her Algebra and Chemistry textbooks within the depths of her bag.

She fished it out and held it up to her eye to inspect. It was a small brown box with a strange red design imprinted on the top. Her curiosity escalating, she began to open it, and then snapped it shut.

 _I shouldn't open it. It might belong to someone,_ she reasoned in her mind.  _But would one little peek hurt?_

She examined the box, but there was no tag or label to be found, so she deemed it safe to open.

A pendant shaped like a hook (or maybe a fox tail, judging by the tangerine coloring and white tip) was nestled inside, and Alya lifted it out with something akin to awe. It seemed like an ancient relic, weathered yet dusty, like it had not seen the light in maybe centuries.

 _I should take this to the Louvre,_ she thought.  _They'll have a field day with an artifact like this._

A nagging voice in the back of her head now came to forefront of her mind, compelling her to put on the necklace. She adamantly fought against it, trying to push it to the back of her mind, but her instincts joined in, and the next thing she knew, she was clasping the pendant around her neck.

An incandescent glow burst out of the pendant and Alya recoiled, temporarily blinded, her hand jumping up to shield her eyes. When she saw the glow subside from behind her eyelids, she tentatively peeled away her hand and gasped.

A creature had materialized from within the box and was currently hovering in midair, suspended by nothing. It looked somewhat like a fox, with burnt-orange fur, four black paws, and a white-tipped tail. Its ears were pointed up and its violet eyes were sweeping around Alya's bedroom, assessing its surroundings.

Alya's response was to utter a short, piercing scream and rapidly back away, groping around for her phone so she could call Animal Control, or perhaps a psychologist to report a possible hallucination.

And then to her amazement, the floating fox-like creature  _spoke._

"Oh, come off it," it grumbled in a distinct feminine tone. "I swear their reactions get more dramatic each time...oh well."

"What...what are you?" queried Alya breathlessly, ceasing her search for her phone.

"I'm Trixx," she said, sounding significantly less annoyed and much more cheerful. "I'm a kwami."

Alya narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "A kwami?"

"You know, an eternal immortal being who grants powers to a specific person and transforms them into a superhero," Trixx elaborated airily.

The brunette raised her eyebrows dubiously, which Trixx caught sight of. She swooped closer to Alya, who did not retreat.

"Don't believe me? Just say, 'Trixx, ears up!' and watch the magic happen." She gestured to Alya's body.

The Ladyblogger still had some misgivings, but her gut told her to trust Trixx. She reluctantly complied, saying loudly, "Trixx, ears up!" and waited patiently for something to happen.

A light breeze swirled around her body, which smelled of wood and citrus. A wave of invigoration and strength flooded through her like an overpowering tsunami, which felt refreshing after such a taxing day.

Trixx was sucked into her necklace and that's when the transformation transpired. She glimpsed a flash of orange and then it receded, and she cautiously tiptoed over to a full-length mirror (which she had had to steal back from the twins this morning; they were such  _hoggers_ ). Her mouth opened wide with shock.

She could barely recognize herself; her appearance was altered wholly. Gone were her thick-framed glasses, replaced by an apricot-colored mask, which was adhered rigidly to her face, but felt weightless. The front of her new suit was white; the rest orange, and a flute was attached to her hip. Black gloves and boots rounded off the ensemble, along with pointed ears protruding from her head,

Her hair, however, was undoubtedly her favorite part about the transformation. The upper half of it was still auburn, but it melted into white like a stylish ombre hairstyle.

"I look...I look...so  _different,_ " was all Alya could muster out.

 _Like it?_ came Trixx's disembodied voice in her head.  _I can always change it if you don't like it._

"Like it?" Alya echoed. " _I love it!_ This is fantastic! Now I can be a real superhero like Ladybug and Chat Noir!"

Inside her head, Trixx deflated. _About that..._ she said, her voice now devoid of its upbeat texture,  _I have a lot of explaining to do._

* * *

"So, how soon are we going to meet the new Miraculous holder?" Chat asked, dropping down next to Ladybug.

Ladybug shrugged. "I dunno, maybe as soon as tonight, or maybe not at all. Depends on whether or not she accepts the Miraculous." 

"Do you think she will?"

"It's a coin toss, fifty-fifty," she answered vaguely. "I'm pretty sure she will, because she's a huge fan of us and most people usually don't pass up on the chance to become a superhero."

"You think?" Chat quipped. "I remember when I got my Miraculous. It's been like, what, two years?"

Ladybug nodded, recalling the pivotal day she had met Tikki. "That makes me feel old," she muttered, swinging her legs.

Chat looked at her queerly. "That's im _paw_ sible, my Lady," he stated, a smirk crossing his lips. "You look as  _purr_ fect as the day I met you."

She did not scoff at the use of the puns, instead opting to giggle as yet more warmth seeped into her body. Knowing it was Adrien behind the mask had unmistakably intensified her feelings for both him and Chat Noir. Additionally, it had cleared up her predicament about whom to like; now, she was free to like both of them without guilt.

"Thank you," she said, her cheeks darkening. "You don't look so bad yourself."

It was the closest to a personal compliment she had ever given him, and she could his eyes scintillate with glee as the words spilled out of her mouth, and his mood visibly boosted. His arms latched themselves around her waist and his body slammed into hers. The scent of fragrant cologne engulfed her and she relaxed in his embrace, though butterflies were fluttering restlessly in her stomach. Her own arms wrapped around his neck and she buried her face into his shoulder, savoring the feeling of his lithe body pressed against hers.

It was intoxicating yet comforting, and Ladybug discovered that night she could always find protection and solace when cocooned in Chat's arms, which was like nothing else on Earth.

Maybe she wouldn't be fully opposed to having a relationship with him. Maybe she  _wanted_ to be in a relationship with him, private or publicized. It wouldn't matter to her either way; what  _would_ matter was that she was with the man she loved with all of her heart.

But what was restraining her was not her feelings, but  _fear._ What if she lost Chat? Her beloved kitty meant more to her than life itself, and to lose him...it would be a devastating blow; she would not be able to live without him. Her heart would be crushed into smithereens, it would cripple her, it would do things that she could not fathom.

As these thoughts fizzled to life in her mind, she clutched tighter to him, and as if he could read her mind, his arms wrapped around her more securely. She sighed, absorbing him, his scent, his protectiveness,  _everything._

He was brave, he was selfless, he was funny, he was beautiful.

_Oh, how she loved him._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How coincidental, this chapter comes out on the same day as the new episode trailer, which features Trixx at the end...  
> Comments and kudos are always a-purr-reciated (see what I did there?)

**Author's Note:**

> A quick note: I may have already published this chapter, but I will be going through it again and possibly editing it. No plot changes though.
> 
> See you next chapter.


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